15 This is what the Lord, the Lord Almighty, says:

“Go, say to this steward,
    to Shebna(A) the palace(B) administrator:(C)
16 What are you doing here and who gave you permission
    to cut out a grave(D) for yourself(E) here,
hewing your grave on the height
    and chiseling your resting place in the rock?

17 “Beware, the Lord is about to take firm hold of you
    and hurl(F) you away, you mighty man.
18 He will roll you up tightly like a ball
    and throw(G) you into a large country.
There you will die
    and there the chariots(H) you were so proud of
    will become a disgrace to your master’s house.
19 I will depose you from your office,
    and you will be ousted(I) from your position.(J)

20 “In that day(K) I will summon my servant,(L) Eliakim(M) son of Hilkiah. 21 I will clothe him with your robe and fasten your sash(N) around him and hand your authority(O) over to him. He will be a father to those who live in Jerusalem and to the people of Judah. 22 I will place on his shoulder(P) the key(Q) to the house of David;(R) what he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open.(S) 23 I will drive him like a peg(T) into a firm place;(U) he will become a seat[a] of honor(V) for the house of his father. 24 All the glory of his family will hang on him: its offspring and offshoots—all its lesser vessels, from the bowls to all the jars.

25 “In that day,(W)” declares the Lord Almighty, “the peg(X) driven into the firm place will give way; it will be sheared off and will fall, and the load hanging on it will be cut down.” The Lord has spoken.(Y)

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Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 22:23 Or throne

An administrator rebuked

15 The Lord God of heavenly forces says, Go now to this official, to Shebna, who is in charge of the house, and say to him:
16     What do you have here—and whom do you have here—
    that you have hewed out a tomb for yourself,
        you who cuts his grave on high and carves himself a home in the cliff?
17 The Lord is about to hurl you down, mighty man!

    He is surely going to cover you with darkness;
18     he will indeed unroll your head wrapping,
        rolling it like a ball into the open country.
        There you will die, with your glorious chariots,
        you disgrace to the house of your master!
19 I will thrust you from your monument;
    you will be pulled down from your platform.
20 On that day, I will call my servant
    Eliakim, Hilkiah’s son.
21 I will give him your robe and wrap him in your sash,
    and I will hand over to him your authority.
He will be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem
    and to the house of Judah.
22 I will place the key to David’s house on his shoulder;
    what he opens no one will close,
    and what he closes no one will open.
23 I will fasten him securely like a tent peg,
    and he will be a throne of honor for his ancestors’ house.

24 All the honor of his household will hang on him, the offspring and the offshoots, every little dish, every bowl, every jar.

25 On that day, says the Lord of heavenly forces, the peg that is fastened securely will give way; it will be cut down, and it will fall, and all the load hanging on it will be lost. The Lord has spoken.

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